Adjustable shaft mounting and method of assembly



Aug. 22, 1933. J. P. LAVIGNE 1,924,072

ADJUSTABLE SHAFT MOUNTING AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY Filed April 19. 1928 I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

-10 shafts in chassis frames-for automobiles- The Patented Aug.2 2, 1933 v I its 1 S TATES iiAT ENT OFFi-C 1E. Q 1,924,672 g I r ADjUSTABLE' SHAFT MOUNTING AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY i Joseph 1. Lavigne, Detroit, Mich, assignor, by mesne assignments, to 0. &. S. Bearing Detroit, Mich, a Corporation of Michigan 7 Application April 19, 1928. Serial N0. 271,151 g i 7 Claims. (arm-72 This invention relates to an "adjustable shaft of :Fig. 2 showing the manner offabricating the mounting and method of assembly, and has to shaft mounting plate for receiving the adjustdo particularly with the combination of a bearable bearings and. the manner of securing the ing of the self-lubricating type and an extremesame in fixed adjusted position.v

5 ly simple, compact and inexpensive mounting Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but therefor, and anovel manner of fixing the ad-I showing. the manner ,of fabricating .the shaft justable bearings within the mounting. l mounting plate before assembly, or where such This invention is particularly adapted to 10- plate is adapted'to be secured to the frame be-. 7 eating and supporting oscillatory cross brake fore assembly of the bearings therein An automobile chassis frame of the standard aligning of such cross brake shafts :in chassis type is generally designated as at 1 in Fig. 1, and frames has become quitea problem in:automo the standard cross brakeshafts are designated. bile chassis assembly, and many adjustable or as at 2 and 3. l self-aligning bearing mountings have been de- While the shaft mounting contemplated in the 15 signed in an attempt to permit easy and acpresent invention is adapted to receive and curate assembly and at the same time provide align a single shaft, it is particularly well adapa rigid, efficient support for the shafts These ted to double cross brake shafts for .use withattempts havebeen more .or less successful butv four wheelbrakes; and .the same has been so they have all requiredrelatively expensiveand illustrated. Such shaft mounting consists of a 29 complicated shaft mountings and bearings. single plate 311 which 'is of a size as to be con- 7 It is the object'of the present invention to veniently. mounted within the flanges 'of' the provide a very simple and inexpensive mounting chassis frame and which is preferably formed. which may be quickly secured to the chassis of a single piece of sheet steel suitably secured frame either by welding orrbolting, andwhich to the chassis frame either by welding orby mounting is adapted to receivein adjustable re-f suitable removable. means. Due to this peculiar 8O lation a number vof suitable self-lubricating. design the present shaft mounting and the plate I bearings for supporting the cross brake shafts 3a therefor is adaptedto receive cross shafts in proper alignment to'permit easy operation. which may be locatedvery closely together;

Another object of the present invention con- \This plate 3-is suitably stamped or fabricated 3O templates a novel method of securing the selfto provide in general apertures i and. 5. This lubricating bearings within the novel shaft stamping or fabricating is such that an annular mounting in such a manner that such bearings series of struck-out and spaced prongs or lugs v are quickly and easily fixed in adjusting posi- 6 are formed on one side of each apartureand a 7 tion after the shafts have once been aligned. similar series of alternately spaced prongs 0r 35 With this 'novel structure and method of as- -lugs 7, formed on the other side of each aperture. sembly, it is possible to seeurethe shaft mount- Each aperture 4 and 5 with itsstruck-out ing plate to the chassis frame at any time, that. lugs, is adapted to freely receive a spherical is, either before or after the adjustable bearbearing member 8. This bearing member 8 is ings have been positioned therein. preferably of the adjustable self-lubricating type in that it is provided with an outer spherical lates to the provision of an extremely simple shell and: an inner bushing formed of lubricant shaft mounting, which consists of only two impregnated fabric and pressed into shape parts for a single shaft and three parts for a whereby} to; resiliently receive and support the double shaft, the shaft mountings or bearings cross shafts; The pressure applied to this im 5; being fixed in adjusted position by the distorpregnated fabric is relatively great, and the contion of one of the parts thereof. I structicnis such that not only is there no metal- In the drawing: 7 I lic contact but-the bearing is noiseless, and due Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical fragmentary plan to its resiliency is capable of wearing for a relaview illustrating the general application of my tlvely long time.- invention to cross brake shaftsof an automobile in assembling the adjustable shaft mounting, chassis frame. the spherical bearing members '8 may be placed Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, in the positionin the apertures and if necessary illustrating one manner of securing the shaft the lugs or prongs 6 and '7 slightly bent over to mounting plate to the chassis frameQ a Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 40 A further object of the present invention remounting plate 3a may be then secured'in posiadjustably hold the same in place. The shaft 10 and assembled. This shaft mounting-permits of tion at each sideof the chassis frame, m mas inserted'therein and the prongs 6 and? securely I at the time of the assembly of the cross brake shafts it is only necessary for the operator to insert the spherical bearing members in place and then clamp them in adjusted position by peaning or forcing down the prongs. It will be obvious that any suitable tool may be used for forcing the prongs 6 and 7 into. fixed position,

but of course they may be also individually forced into. position by means of. ahammer or the like, and such method will suflice for the purpose of the present inventionl It willv thus be seen that I have provided. an extremely simple and, inexpensive but elficient and. positiveshaft mounting for: cross brake;

shafts and the like, which consists of a minimum number :of parts easily quickly fabricated accuratealignment, and the self-lubricating, feature permits-of continuous lubrication together with noiseless operation and long. Wear.v

What I. claim is 1 A. mounting. for the; rotatable shafts, comprising a. single supportingplate stamped. to pros vide. integral. bearing: supporting members; and" a. spherical self dub-floating: bearing clamped into aligning: position. by said members.

A. mounting for rotatable shafts; comprising' spheri-calibearing members iior recon/ringv the: shatt or shafts, and; an integral supporti ig' plate provided with oppositely stamped. alternately spaced prongs for clamping said bearing poemsbers: maligned position.

3. A mountinggfor' rotatable shafts'compri-sing.

a supporting plate, and an. aperture. formed'irr said plate: and defined by oppositely bent. prongs around the periphery thereof, saidaperture and said prongs being adapted to rotatably receive a bearing member for supporting a shaft, and

said prongs being adapted to be pressed against the bearing member to fix the same in adjusted position. I

Fl. A mounting for rotatable shafts comprise ing a single sheet metal/supporting plate provided with an integral stamped-out portion for adjustably receiving a bearing member together 5-. A. mounting for rotatable shafts, compris- "ing a bearing formed of a spherical shell and a compressed lubricant impregnated fabric containedtherein and. forming a bushingfor shaft, and asupperting plate having integral oppositely struck-out prongs, for adjustably receiving said bearing, said prongs being adapted bent: place against. said bearing to fiX- edly secure the.- same in adjusted position.

6'. A mountingfor: receiving a relatively rotatable. part, comprising a bearing formed of a substantially? spherical'shel-l and a compressed lubricant impregnated fabric contained therein for forming; a. bushing. for the relatively Iotatable part,.and. a single: supporting plate having a. stamped out. portion for receiving said bearing, said stamped out portion and said bearing shell being relatively distorted whereby to fixably secure the bearing in positive permanent relation tosaid supporting plate.

7- A mounting fora cross brakeshaft i hic'l'es comprising, eta-bearing. member, consisting of. a spherical shelland alubricant impregnated fabric bushing. preformed and permanently con, tained in said shell for" directly receiving one endof the shaft, a supporting member adapted to be rigidly mounted asv a. single unit on a of vehicle-,qsaid memberhaving portions formed with spherical contours for adjustably' receiving said shell to :permlt'shipping and dling as a, unit, saidportions fixably clamping said; spherical bearing member in adjusted position and; being: limite in clamping. action only by the surface of: said shell.

JOSEPH P. Lsviei in.

the V Mil 

